Indiana University announced a COVID-19 testing plan Thursday, hinting that students could return to its campuses this fall.

The university has partnered with IU Health to offer COVID-19 screenings to all faculty, staff and students beginning June 1. Those who are determined to be symptomatic will then be tested.

The services will be free to individuals. IU is covering the cost of both screening and testing.

The announcement included a link to a report from IU’s restart committee. The screening and testing infrastructure announced Thursday were a prerequisite for a return to campuses.

IU President Michael McRobbie has asked campus leaders to devise plans for implementing the restart committee’s recommendations for a return to in-person classes no later than May 26.

The committee’s report recommended researchers, including graduate students, return to labs beginning around June 1. Athletes in training would return by mid-June. At least some proportion of the general student body would return for the fall semester.

The report also provided hygiene recommendations that included wearing cloth face coverings in public spaces on campus. At least two face coverings per person would be provided to faculty, staff and students.

These and other recommendations in the committee’s report are just that. The university has not officially announced plans to do anything beyond the screening and testing.

Screenings will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through one.iu.edu. Artificial intelligence will be used for the initial assessment.

If further screening is deemed necessary, individuals will be referred to the IU Health Virtual Screening Clinic, which is also available 24 hours a day.

There, they will have a consultation with a medical professional who will review their symptoms. If COVID-19 testing is warranted, they will then be referred to one of 15 different IU or IU Health facilities across the state.

The facilities will be open on or just after June 1 and will be located in the following cities:

Bloomington

Indianapolis

Columbus

Evansville

Fort Wayne

Gary

Kokomo

Lafayette

Muncie

New Albany

Richmond

South Bend

Terre Haute

Samples collected at those sites will be transported to the IU Health Pathology Laboratories in Indianapolis. These labs can conduct more than 6,000 COVID-19 tests in a day, and results should be available in 24 to 36 hours, according to IU’s announcement.

Those who test positive will be directed to isolate themselves from others. Contact tracing will be performed according to Indiana State Department of Health procedures.

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COVID-19 COUNT

Jun 5, 2020

Updated 7 hrs ago

Last updated noon Saturday, June 6, from the Indiana State Department of Health. Cases are listed by county of residence. Private lab reporting may be delayed and will be reflected in the map and count when results are received at ISDH.

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